During one of her first days as team manager of the University of Hawai‘i football team, lifelong Lihu‘e resident and Kaua‘i High School graduate Marissa Bonilla found herself in the middle of a 7-on-7 drill, snapping balls to the quarterback.
During one of her first days as team manager of the University of Hawai‘i football team, lifelong Lihu‘e resident and Kaua‘i High School graduate Marissa Bonilla found herself in the middle of a 7-on-7 drill, snapping balls to the quarterback.
After one seemingly innocuous snap, Bonilla barely lifted her head in time to see a 300-pound blur barreling toward her, like a runaway freight train.
A UH linebacker was about to tackle her.
Bonilla braced herself for impact. Two seconds later, she found herself smashed into the gridiron.
Welcome to UH football, Marissa.
“I was sore for a while, but I bounced back up,” she said. “Needless to say the guys rewound that tape a lot.”
Although Bonilla may have temporarily lost some feeling in her left leg, she also gained the admiration of an entire football team.
And in the five years since, Bonilla’s esteem in the eyes of UH players and coaches has only grown.
“She has the respect of everyone,” Rich Miano, UH defensive backs coach, said. “Without her, we couldn’t do it.”
But how did a local girl who looks like she should be cheerleading for the team, not managing it, become such an integral part of UH football?
Bonilla’s love affair with the game began at Kaua‘i High School, where she served as a cheerleader for the Red Raiders for two years and the team manager for another two.
“I looked like a girly-girl, but when they saw me on the field they were impressed,” she said. “They were like my little brothers.”
“Plus, I throw the ball better than a lot of the guys.”
So when Bonilla arrived at the University of Hawai‘i in the fall of 2002, she knew she wanted to be involved with the football team in some capacity.
“I remember this shy little girl in a sundress sitting outside my office, waiting to apply for the job,” Miano said. “She’s really blossomed from a young freshman to someone who is running the entire show.”
On practice days, Bonilla arrives at Aloha Stadium by 5:30 a.m. to set up all the equipment. On game days, Bonilla is at the field from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. She also travels with the team.
“I like being busy,” she said. “If I was bored, I’d fail.”
A physical education major, Bonilla said she hopes to become a P.E. teacher, and would like to remain on Kaua‘i, if possible.
“Being in O‘ahu has made me appreciate Kaua‘i even more.”
Although Bonilla is sad this is her final year with the team, she said a fitting ending to her career would be a Western Athletic Conference championship.
“We’re going to do great this year,” she said. “I have a lot of faith in the boys.”
• Steven Stein, editorial intern, can be reached at 245-3681 or sstein@kauaipubco.com.
